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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 10-12-2009, 10:07 PM:
 
Editorial Comment:

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Predator Remake starring Adrian Brody and Topher Grace

Hero Complex
For your inner fanboy

'Predators' and Adrien Brody hunt for action-film credibility

Patrick Goldstein at our sister blog, The Big Picture, was deeply puzzled by the news that Oscar winner Adrien Brody is taking on the lead role in "Predators," producer Robert Rodriguez's revisiting of the alien-hunter franchise. Here's an excerpt:

The same Adrien Brody who won an Oscar as a frail musician in "The Pianist," the same boho hustler who was in Wes Anderson's "Darjeeling Limited" and Rian Johnson's "The Brothers Bloom," the same guy who played the village idiot in M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village" and an oddball screenwriter in "King Kong" is now set to play much the same character that Arnold Schwarzenegger played in the 1987 "Predator" original.

Does this sound like a miscasting of epic proportions or what? This is no knock on Brody, who is shaping up to be the Jeff Goldblum of his generation, a quirky guy who's good in oddball parts. But can you imagine him fighting aliens, much less shooting the gun and kissing the girl?

I don't remember a whole lot of romance in "Predator" but Goldstein has some fun lines and I get his point. You should check out the whole piece (I especially like the comparison to casting Jack Black in "The Manny Ramirez Story") and he's got a snarky poll question posted so you can vote whether the actor's selection is full of promise of merely full of, um, empty hopes.

The casting choice strikes me as a little bit odd, but it doesn't leave me as aghast as my colleague. For one thing, Brody was fine, I thought, in "King Kong," as he battled all sorts of beasties. And more importantly this isn't a remake of "Predator"; this edition, to be directed by Nimród Antal, takes place off-world, so this perception that Brody is following directly in Schwarzenegger's jungle footprints is a bit off. We're told that Brody plays a mercenary, but that leaves a lot of room for different sorts of characters -- remember Alan Rickman in "Die Hard"? He wasn't exactly muscle-bound but there was there was plenty of menace in his performance.

There are a good number of art-house veterans who successfully sought a change-up in action and genre movies, such as James McAvoy in "Wanted," Tobey Maguire in "Spider-Man" James Spader in "Stargate" and Daniel Day-Lewis in "The Last of the Mohicans." Also, consider that Jeff Goldblum got buff for duty in special-effects films, as did Robert Downey Jr., so perhaps the 34-year-old Brody is simply ready to flex some muscle.

That or maybe we'll end up filing this DVD next to -- gulp -- "Godzilla" with fish-out-of-water star Matthew Broderick.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-12-2009, 10:27 PM:
 
I haven't seen anything decent from Robert Rodriguez since, what, Desparado Till Dawn or whatever it was called, so I will remain unexcited for now. I don't particularly care for Adrien Brody's face, so he can bite me. Also, this will likely be PG-13 and not R, so it will be more aimed at pussies compared to the original Predator. Robert Rodriguez has four R's in his name, so hopefully he will be a man and make this rated R. Oh, and guess how they will do the predator himself? Optical effects? Ha ha, no way. CGI. I wonder why we even bother having actors any more. Maybe they will CGI over Adrien Brody's face.
 

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Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 10-12-2009, 10:50 PM:
 
I'm going to bet right now it'll be shot on video in 3D.
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 10-12-2009, 10:56 PM:
 
The original "Predator" is a classic of a certain B-movie genre (sorry for the cliche but it's true) and I can't think of any reason for a remake except some kind of ego trip. And yes Rodriguez will shoot it on video, with too much CGI, and probably in 3D.

Some things just shouldn't be messed with.
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 10-13-2009, 03:41 AM:
 

quote: David Stambaugh

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Some things just shouldn't be messed with.

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quote: Joe Redifer

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Oh, and guess how they will do the predator himself? Optical effects? Ha ha, no way. CGI. I wonder why we even bother having actors any more. Maybe they will CGI over Adrien Brody's face.

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I doubt it since he actually cut off Rose McGowan's leg and replaced it with a real gun in Planet Terror. That's dedication to the craft right there.
 

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Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 10-15-2009, 05:06 PM:
 
I don't think this movie is going to be quite the disaster that everyone else seems to think it will be.

First off, as stated in the article, it's not a remake. It's based on a story that Rodriguez pitched to the studio back in the 90's, and from what I understand, doesn't even take place on earth.

Secondly, I'm pretty sure I've read that they will be using practical effects wherever possible, and that they're using the first movie as the basis for the predator's look, etc.

And finally, I'm also pretty sure I've read that this movie will be R-rated. Honestly, I can't imagine Rodriguez agreeing to produce it if it weren't, and I think the studio learned their lesson with the first AVP movie.

Also, let's be honest with ourselves. The Predator movies aren't good. They're not some sort of sacred milestones in the history of cinema which should be left untouched. I'm all for giving this franchise to someone as talented as Rodriguez to see if he can do something cool with it.
 

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Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 10-15-2009, 05:44 PM:
 
The thing I never got about Predator was how Danny Glover could kill one but Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn't. So the Adrien Brody casting isn't too much of a surprise. I am kinda looking forward to this film, but only because Robert Rodriguez is directing.
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 10-15-2009, 06:44 PM:
 
The first Predator movie was good. The followups are all bad and they're all dead to me.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-15-2009, 06:55 PM:
 
Predator 1 and 2 were good. I didn't even bother with the Alien vs Predator nonsense.
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 10-15-2009, 07:12 PM:
 
I should revisit Predator 2. In fact I just added it to the top of my NetFlix queue.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-15-2009, 08:27 PM:
 
I think it is good as its own movie. It is a legitimate sequel and Danny Glover finally gets a lead role. I don't think anyone will ever think it is better than the first movie, but I like it. Plus, it has Gary Busey in it so it has to be good.
 

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Posted by Pravin Ratnam (Member # 1417) on 10-16-2009, 02:41 PM:
 
yeah, i liked Predator 2 also. It had a sleazy down and dirty feel of its own. Predator vs Alien craps were nonsense.
 

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Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 10-18-2009, 03:12 PM:
 

quote: Caleb Johnstone-Cowan

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only because Robert Rodriguez is directing

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quote: Mike Schindler

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I don't think this movie is going to be quite the disaster that everyone else seems to think it will be.

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quote: Mike Schindler

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The Predator movies aren't good. They're not some sort of sacred milestones in the history of cinema which should be left untouched.

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quote: Joe Tommassello

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Mike - That was probably the most predictable response in the history of Film-Tech. We should nickname you Reboot Mike.

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And yet, if you would have read just one more sentence from my post, you would have learned that it is not a reboot, but a sequel.

As for my nickname, I suppose Reboot Mike is okay. But I would much prefer to be called Sizzle Cuts. Unfortunately, it hasn't caught on yet.
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 10-27-2009, 06:05 PM:
 
Hey, Sizzle Cuts...(you may need to explain why you'd like to be called 'Sizzle Cuts' if you'd like me to continue calling you by that name).

The following comment is not directed at 'Sizzle Cuts'...They can re-make, re-boot, sequel as many films as they like...it's nothing new. If they are good they'll have a life of their own. If they suck, they'll shuffle off to the .50c bin at the DVD store and never be heard of again.

I liked the original Predator a lot. Much of it because of Jerry Goldsmith's great score. The sequels well...please refer to my second paragraph.
 

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Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 10-27-2009, 06:51 PM:
 

quote: John Wilson

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Hey, Sizzle Cuts...(you may need to explain why you'd like to be called 'Sizzle Cuts' if you'd like me to continue calling you by that name).

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Because my splices are HOT!

Metaphorically speaking, of course. They're actually made with tape like everyone else's. But you get the idea.
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 10-27-2009, 07:24 PM:
 

quote: John Wilson

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I liked the original Predator a lot. Much of it because of Jerry Goldsmith's great score.

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Alan Silvestri scored Predator and Predator 2.

I watched Predator 2 on Blu-ray over the weekend. At first it seems to have nothing whatsoever to do with the original (except for the Predator character), but then as things unfold they kind of tie into the original nicely. It's not a horrible movie, actually sort of enjoyed it "for what it is".
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 10-27-2009, 07:46 PM:
 
Like I said...Alan Silvestri's great score.
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 10-27-2009, 10:27 PM:
 
The Predator score *is* very good and memorable and that's why I knew before I confirmed it at imdb that the composer was someone well-known, just not Jerry Goldsmith.
 

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